Page 17 of Haunting the Deep

Titanic.“Wait, what?”

“The Spring Fling.”

Is Jaxon asking me out? Maybe hewasflirting the other day. Not jokey fun flirting, but I-want-to-stick-my-tongue-in-your-mouth flirting.I reach out to touch his arm, but take my hand back. “Don’t you want to go with a date or something?”

Jaxon looks out the window for a brief second, and when his eyes return to me, his smile has tension in it. “I would much rather go with you. Doesn’t have to be a big deal. I just, well, I think it would be good for you to have a little fun for once. Socialize.”

The flutter in my stomach turns to anxiety.Please don’t do this.“I don’t know. I just…I don’t know.”

Jaxon pulls back to get a better look at me. “You’re not going with someone else, are you?”

I wish I could laugh at that. I wish that the major problem of my life right now was too many dance invites. “It’s not that. I just don’t think I’m gonna go at all.”

“Come on, Sam. I know it’s been a little weird at school these past few months. But you have to jump in at some point.”

I slide away from him and sit up. “It’s not just that.” It’s Ada and the dream, Alice’s bones, and a slew of weirdness that tells me I shouldn’t go anywhere near aTitanic-themed dance right now.

Jaxon’s eyes focus on me like he’s trying to sort something out. “Well, what’s it about, then?”

I pull at the edge of my comforter. Maybe I should tell Jaxon what’s going on. He’ll hate it, but at least I won’t have to hurt his feelings about the dance.

Jaxon frowns. “You’re acting the same way you did right after…Does this have anything to do with that dude ghost that left?”

My heart immediately and annoyingly starts pounding.Stop it, heart.Why should I care that Jaxon brought up Elijah? I stand up and step into my black slippers. “We’re gonna be late to breakfast.”

Jaxon stands up, too. “I’m guessing by your reaction that’s a yes.”

“It’s…I’m just not going to the dance. I don’t want to go,” I say with more frustration than I intended. Great. Now I’ve made it sound like itisbecause of Elijah. I turn away from his look. Ihatethat I’m flustered and that Jaxon can seeit.

“Do you still have feelings for him?”

I walk into the hall. “Ireallydon’t want to talk about this.” How did we even get on this topic anyway?

“That figures.” No more jokes and smiles.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You can’t even look at me when you talk about this.”

I move fast down the stairs, my pulse quickening. I can’t explain everything to him while I’m like this. I need to calm down, think it through. “He’s gone, Jaxon. And he’s not the reason I’m saying no to you. I’m just saying no. I don’t have to give you a reason.”

“Real nice, Sam.” His frustration matches mine. “I’m the closest friend you have as long as we don’t talk about anything important. But the moment I ask you a personal question, you run away.”

Damn him for being right. I cross the foyer and open the side door. “Jaxon…” Alice stands on the other side with her hand raised to knock. “Alice?”

“I need to talk to you,” Alice says, and steps in.

Jaxon looks from her to me.

“Seriously, Sam. Alone,” Alice says.

“Right, you’ll talk toher,” Jaxon says under his breath. He walks out the door, and it slams shut behind him.

How did that fight even happen?

“Looks like your morning is going as well as mine is,” Alice says.

“You have no idea,” I say.